News

June 25, 2022

Added memorial page for Mrs. Clark, who passed away May 29.

May 22, 2022

Added memorial page for Sensei Rowland, who passed away April 22.

April 28, 2022

The Little Rock dojo is moving to 300 South Rodham Parham Road, Suite 167. Today is the last day at the John Barrow location.

December 6, 2021

Added photo from October instructors' clinic.

September 10, 2020

Added photos to the memorial for Sensei Ron Turchi and the Masters Hall of Fame event.

August 18, 2020

Sensei Ron Turchi has passed away; see the In Memoriam page.

February 24, 2019

Added link to historical photos page.

August 26, 2018

Posted 2018 camp outline.

November 14, 2017

Added an interview with Joe Lewis about the 1968 Karate Championships and the red carpet for the 2014 Masters Hall of Fame to the Links page.

August 26, 2017

The Taiho-Ryu October Seminar will be held Saturday October 21, 2017 at the Little Rock Dojo. Registration and visiting is from 9:00am - 10:00am. Cost is $20.00 including a prepared lunch. Open to all ranks and must be current on TKF dues.

To get an accurate student count, please tell your sensei as soon as possible if you plan to attend.

There will be five sessions:

• 10:00am - 10:45am
• 11:00am - 11:45am
• 11:45am - 12:30pm: lunch
• 12:30pm - 1:30pm
• 1:45pm - 3:00pm: sparring
• 3:15pm - 4:15pm
• 4:15pm - 4:45pm: Q&A and visit.

October 5, 2016

Added link to newspaper article about Sensei Appleby on his memorial page.

September 21, 2016

Ricky Purdy, a long time Taiho-Ryu Black Belt from Dewitt, Arkansas passed away Monday, September 19th, 2016 after a long and valiant battle with Parkinsons Disease. Mr. Purdy trained primarily in Stuttart, Arkansas under the direction of Sensei Doyle Rowland, Sensei Burmick Appleby, and Sensei Garland Derden. He was a member of the highly respected ¿Stuttgart Samurai¿, which had a reputation for winning numerous regional and national titles during the 1970¿s, 80¿s and 90¿s. He will be greatly missed and his entire Taiho-Ryu family send our thoughts and prayers to his family.

August 24, 2016

This year's camp will be on Saturday, October 15. See your instructor for eligibility.

July 17, 2016

Sensei Burmick Appleby has passed away. See the In Memoriam page.

February 14, 2016

Added pictures of Sensei Hardy from the 1970s. Also added link to article in Official Karate Magazine.

August 2, 2015

Story about former Taiho-Ryu student Chuck Haralson appeared in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

July 24, 2015

CAMP ANNOUNCEMENT: Taiho-Ryu Training Camp will be held Saturday October 17, 2015 at the Little Rock Dojo. Registration is from 9:00am - 10:00am. Camp cost is $40.00 which includes a prepared lunch catered from Rx Catering. Tell your sensei if you plan to attend so that we can get a close possible student count as soon as possible. There will be three sessions lasting 2 hours. First session from 10:00am - 12:00noon. Second session from 1:00pm - 3:00pm. Third session from 3:15pm - 5:15pm. We hope to see everyone there.

June 16, 2014

Congratulations to GrandMaster Buddy Hudson for his promotion to 8th Degree Black Belt. He and his sister, Pat Hudson Whitehead, are former Taiho-Ryu students.

May 11, 2014

Added memorial page for Mr. Henthorn.

August 23, 2013

This year's camp will be Saturday, October 19.

July 28, 2013

Jim Burr, who was instrumental in the building of both dojos in Pine Bluff in 1972 and 1973 passed away today after a long fight with heart and kidney disease. Sensei Burr was a member of the Taiho-Ryu Hall of Fame. Please keep Mrs. Bunny Burr, his children Jeff and Stacy, and all of their family in your prayers.

July 16, 2013

Laura McKenney passed away on July 12. Laura and her husband Pat are both students of the Little Rock dojo. The funeral information is

• Wednesday, July 17. 6:00pm rosary, 7:00pm visitation. Ralph Robinson (807 S Cherry St, Pine Bluff, AR)
• Thursday, July 18. 10:00am: funeral at Saint Joseph Catholic Church (6th and S Walnut); graveside service at Saint Joseph Cemetery (W. Pullen and University Dr.)

June 16, 2013

You can now find us on Facebook.

May 20, 2013

Sensei Steve Dixon's mother, Janice Dixon, passed away today. Visitation is May 23, 5:00–7:00. The funeral is May 24 at 10:30am. Both are at Ralph Robinson & Sons Funeral Home in Pine Bluff (at 8th & Cherry).

September 12, 2012

Ron Turchi, Taiho-Ryu Black Belt and member of the Taiho-Ryu Hall of Fame, was recently inducted into the Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame in Houston, Texas. Mr. Turchi began his training in Taiho-Ryu in 1971 and currently lives in Hot Springs, AR. Our congratulations to Mr. Turchi on this notable achievement.

July 19, 2012

Tentative date for camp is Saturday, October 20.

July 9, 2012

Instructors' clinics are 10:00am - 2:00pm for purple belt and above.

June 25, 2012

• It appears that Mr. Wayne Higman, who recently broke his neck, will make a full recovery. He thanks everyone for the prayers, calls and visits.
• Michael Strachota, who along with his father Pat trained in the Pine Bluff dojo for years, was killed yesterday in Afghanistan by a suicide bomber. Please keep his father Pat, his wife Lauren, and his son Will in your prayers.

May 10, 2012

• Mr. Wayne Higman. Mr. Higman broke his neck recently and had surgery. He is already back to walking over a mile a day and said to thank everyone for their prayers. It is truly a miracle he is not a quadraplegic according to all of his doctors.
• Mr. Ricky Purdy. Mr. Purdy has Parkinsons's disease.
• Mr. Jim Burr, Nidan. Mr. Burr will once again start dialysis three days a week and have to travel over an hour each way for treatment.

April 30, 2012

Please keep the following Taiho-Ryu members in your prayers: Mr. Wayne Higman, who broke his neck recently, and Mr. Ricky Purdy who has Parkinsons's disease. Mr. Higman had surgery, but is not able to accept visitors at this time.

February 29, 2012

The shiai will be held May 12 at the Monticello National Guard Armory at 809 Jordan Dr., Monticello, AR 71655. T-shirts are $10 and the fee is $15 for shiai participants. For more info contact Mr. Thornhill (870-723-4610).

Sensei Steward passed away on August 3, 2011. Services will be Monday, August 8.

July 26, 2011

Tentative date for camp is Saturday, October 29, 2011.

April 9, 2011

Shiai to be held in Little Rock on Saturday, May 14, 2011.

September 20, 2010

Next instructors' clinic is October 17.

July 19, 2010

Camp 2010 will be September 18 and 19.

May 30, 2010

Added picture of Mr. Burr being inducted into the Taiho-Ryu Hall of Fame.

October 21, 2009

Photo from 2009 Camp has been posted.

May 19, 2009

The July instructors' clinic has been moved to July 26.

March 8, 2009

Mr. Power died on March 6, 2009. Added In Memoriam page.

March 6, 2009

Added link to an online copy of the 1971 edition of Black Belt Magazine, which mentions Taiho-Ryu's very first tournament.

January 25, 2009

The shiai will be at the University of Arkansas - Monticello on March 14, 2009. It begins at 1:00pm. All black belts should meet at 12:30pm.

November 25, 2008

Updated calendar for 2009.

July 22, 2008

Camp is September 6 and 7. Registration begins at 11:30am.

May 18, 2008

The July instructors' clinic has been canceled.

January 20, 2008

Taiho-Ryu is hosting a shiai in Monticello on March 15 beginning at 1:00pm. The instructors' clinic scheduled for March 16 has been cancelled.

November 27 , 2007

Congratulations to Mr. Pickens of the Monticello dojo for winning state champion in empty-hand kata and kumite in the Hi-Blue, Green, and Purple Belt Division of the 2007 Mississippi Karate Association tournament circuit (results; photos are in the Pictures section).

October 1, 2007

Added camp photos (thanks to Mr. McKenney for those)

September 9, 2007

The date for the next instructors' clinic has been changed to October 28. Also, beginning with the October clinic the time period 10:00am to 12:00pm is open to all black belts. The time period 12:00pm to 2:00pm is open to purple belts and above.

July 19, 2007

Added camp date to calendar. Camp will be September 8–9 this year.

January 19, 2007

The January instructors' clinic is cancelled due to weather.

December 5, 2006

Updated calendar with the tentative dates for instructors' clinics in 2007.

October 25, 2006

Updated pictures page with promotions at the Little Rock dojo.

July 17, 2006

Added camp cost to calendar page. The cost for camp this year is $50.

June 25, 2006

Added pictures of pepper spray training at the Little Rock dojo.

June 1, 2006

Added two new pictures to the Sensei Putman memorial page.

May 6, 2006

Updated pictures.

April 24, 2006

Added camp date to calendar.

April 12 , 2006

Added memorial page for Sensei Putman.

March 28, 2006

Sensei Cliff Putman, a pioneer in the development of Taiho-Ryu, passed away on Sunday, March 26, 2006. Sensei Putman began training in 1971 and was a member of the Taiho-Ryu Hall-of-Fame. This is a great loss for Taiho-Ryu and our condolences go out to his immediate family and his Taiho-Ryu family also.

February 19, 2006

Master Jerry Barbar, a lifelong friend of Taiho-Ryu, passed away Thursday, February 16, 2006, at the age of 65.  Our sympathy goes out to all Mahato Karate Association members, students and family.  Master Barbar taught in Hot Springs, Arkansas, for over 40 years and was considered one of the early pioneers of Martial Arts in Arkansas.